The request made by the official committee of unsecured creditors
came in a court filing Monday, though it did not signal an
imminent lawsuit.

The committee said the unsecured creditors do not want to
interfere with ongoing negotiations with Tribune over its Chapter
11 reorganization plan. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey in
Wilmington, Del., appointed a mediator for the talks this month
after a previous deal broke down.

Although the committee said its creditors would "stand down"
while the mediation continued, the committee had to seek
permission now so it can meet a Dec. 8 deadline to file a
lawsuit, should one be necessary. Dec. 8 is two years from when
Tribune filed for Chapter 11 protection and is the deadline under
the bankruptcy code to initiate a lawsuit, the committee said.

In my nefarious career, I happened to have worked for both the
L.A. Times and Michael Eisner. Perhaps more than most I have some
insight into each’s strength and weaknesses. In fact, I can
hardly think of any downsides.